Hey, Hey! I just want to thank those people who still read this story, even if the writer is a bad updater(Hangs head in shame). Thanks to those who reviewed, favorited or followed.
Chapter 11
Previously on Another Day Another Story...
"That's the end," Thalia announced, relieved, if things got weirder she would probably loose it. Andromeda and her imprint left after saying their goodbyes, Thalia was going to go with them but then Leah asked her to come over to her house and she accepted. She had accepted because Leah showed potential to be a hunter and she wanted to convince her to join the hunt. Unfortunately, she didn't know that Leah was not going to join the hunt. That another half-blood was going to fall from the sky.
Andromeda's pov
The next day I found out from Emily that Leah had been showing Thalia around, and something had come up that will make them come late. So we wouldn't wait for them, and instead they were going to read on their own, while we read ahead. The rest of us were anticipating the upcoming chapter, since I promised that something funny was going to happen. I knew what was going to come up next, it was my big, wet show down with Clarisse. If only she was here, and I was also planning on bringing Blackjack some time soon. The boys wanted so bad to see a pegasus and how could I deny them?
When we were settling down, after eating the cold cut sandwiches and chocolate-chip cookies Esme had made for us, we started to pass the book around. We started to worry when the words appeared to no one, we started to think that maybe we were supposed to wait for Leah and Thalia. That was when I heard a familiar sound of flapping wings, and then, Hey Boss! Missed me? Do you have any sugar cubes? Those old hags, didn't want to give me some. I turned around, there I saw my favorite pegasus, and two figures on his back. One was a guy and another was a girl. They seemed to be fighting over something, "Hey Blackjack, I got some friends that want to meet you." This seemed to encourage the pegasus, "Well, how could they not? I mean look at me I am gorgeous." I rolled my eyes at his antics, knowing it was just my luck to get stuck with a big-headed pegasus.
Turning around to see the others expressions, I saw curiosity in some and awe in others. Which quickly changed to horror, alarmed I turned around to see what caused such a change, there falling through the sky was the guy who had been riding Blackjack. Seemed that his and the girl's fight had quickly escalated, before he could fall to the ground though, Edward was there. Blackjack and Clarisse descended too, but much more gracefully. There was a smug look on her face, and I knew that he had said something about her not having the guts to push him off, well apparently she did. Before I said anything I hurried over to Edward and Sean, to see if the latter was okay. Paul trailing behind me at a much slower pace. "Sean, you okay?"
"Yeah, I am okay" he looked toward me, "The fates hav-" he stopped, starting at something on my left, "What's that?" he asked pointing a finger at my neck. I stared at him confused, trying to see what he was talking about, in vain of course. It was when I saw Paul's smug look did I remember that last night on the way home we stopped for a short make-out session. Oh no, this was not the way that I planned on telling Sean, "I fell," I said, wanting to have this conversation some other time. The only reason that Sean and I had broken up was his job as the architect of Olympus demanded too much time. So we decided to resume dating afterwords, well if we still did want to go out.
He had an incredulous look on his face, "On your neck?"
"Yeah, I tripped," he didn't buy it one bit, "well, anyway let's introduce you to the circle." I grabbed his arm and lead his to the group, from the corner of my eyes I saw Paul's hurt expression, oh-no. Before I could say anything to him though, he walked off. When we got to the circle I saw that the guys were trying to pet Blackjack unsuccessfully, "Hey, boss could you please tell them to stop touching me, and tell the burly to stop trying to climb on me, he smells bad."
"Guys, Emmett," they turned around to me, "Quit trying to pet him, and Emmett, you smell bad to him, give him sometime, and I am sure he will let y'all ride him later." They reluctantly nodded, and began to sit down. I sat down on my usual spot next to Paul, when I sat down though, he stiffened, I sighed. Though I brightened up when Sean sat on the other side of me, at least someone wasn't mad with me. I was going to start making introductions, when Sean explained that he and Clarisse had been told of what was happening, seems that the fates had talked to them too. "Well, guys, this is Sean Chase, one of my best friends, and Clarisse La Rue, another great friend of mine, and the one who I believe is going to read next." I said smirking at the end. She began, like Thalia the words were in Greek making it easier for her for her to read.
I Become supreme commander of the bathroom
At the title many snickered, and from the corner of my eye I saw Paul fighting a smile. It froze, when Sean moaned, and said, "I hated that day you know." I rolled my eyes, "At least, you only got the sink water I got...all kinds of water." Clarisse said sounding humiliated.
Once I got over the fact that my Latin teacher was a horse,
"He is a centaur, not a horse," Sean said, rolling his eyes.
we had a nice tour, though I was careful not to walk behind him. I'd done pooper-scooper patrol in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade a few times, and, I'm sorry, I did not trust Chiron's back end the way I trusted his front.
There was a roar of laughter at this, even Paul cracked a smile. But seeing the way Sean was looking at his Andromeda wiped the smile right off his face. He felt jealousy creeping in with more force, he couldn't let Sean take her away from his side. She meant the world to him, and he would succumb to madness if he lost her. Or if he felt that the only reason that she was with him was because of the imprint. He would do everything in his power to make her happy, and make her love him like her boyfriend. Because the imprint didn't mean that the ones imprinted had to be a couple they could become best friends, or he could just become her protector, and he would not be having that, because he already loved her, and not just because of the imprint.
We passed the volleyball pit. Several of the campers nudged each other. One pointed to the minotaur horn I was carrying. Another said, "That's her."
Most of the campers were older than me. Their satyr friends were bigger than Grover, all of them trotting around in orange CAMP HALF-BLOOD T-shirts, with nothing else to cover their shaggy hindquarters. I wasn't normally shy, but the way they stared at me made me uncomfortable. I felt like they were expecting me to do a flip or something.
"Did you?" asked Quil. I looked toward him. I shook my head, no.
"Why?"
"Because I didn't want to give them the satisfaction,"
"You couldn't, could you?" he asked smirking. I was about to deny his claim, but then I closed my mouth, and shook my head again.
I looked back at the farmhouse. It was a lot bigger than I'd realized – four stories tall, sky blue with white trim, like an upscale seaside resort. I was checking out the brass eagle weather vane on top when something caught my eye, a shadow in the uppermost window of the attic gable. Something had moved the curtain, just for a second, and I got the distinct impression I was being watched.
"I hate that feeling!" exclaimed Seth, startled we looked toward him. "Like the other day I was patrolling, when I felt someone was watching me, worst feeling in the world." he said moving his head from side to side.
"Was someone actually watching you?" asked Sean.
Seth shook his head, "No, well, it was this tree that has this knot that looks like a face. You know like that tree in Pocahontas." Silence.
"Oh, I know what tree you were talking about," Jared said, looking excited, "Sam, you know that tree that those squirrels were on the other day."
Sam's lit up with recognition, "Oh, yeah that tree," he said chuckling, "Squirrels." I wanted to know what those squirrels were doing, but then seeing the way Sam and Jared were laughing I didn't want to so much.
"What's up there?" I asked Chiron.
He looked where I was pointing, and his smile faded. "Just the attic."
"It wasn't just the attic was it, Mare?" Carlisle asked.
I shook my head sometimes I still have nightmares from that place, and even more so since I had to carry the old oracle once, mummified state and all.
"Somebody lives there?"
"No," he said with finality. "Not a single living thing."
A lot of people were scratching their heads at this, they knew there was something going on with that attic. Images of huge red sour patch kids to mad scientist ranged throughout the minds of those who didn't know.
I got the feeling he was being truthful. But I was also sure something had moved that curtain.
"Come along, Mare," Chiron said, his lighthearted tone now a little forced. "Lots to see."
We walked through the strawberry fields, where campers were picking bushels of berries while a satyr played a tune on a reed pipe.
Chiron told me the camp grew a nice crop for export to New York restaurants and Mount Olympus. "It pays our expenses," he explained. "And the strawberries take almost no effort."
"I love strawberries," Jacob exclaimed. Emily looking up said, "There are some on that basket," pointing to the basket that belonged to her. I guess Esme hadn't been the only to bring food, "but careful Sam tried to cook something again." She finished before Jacob reached the basket, Jacob came to a halt, "You let Sam bake?" he asked looking horrified. I didn't get what could be wrong with his cooking, and neither did the Cullens for that matter. Clarisse even stopped reading, intrigued, "What's wrong with his cooking?" asked Sean.
"It's horrible, and I swear I once heard it growl," Quil said, with Jacob, Embry, and Seth nodding along. Jake's stomach then chose that time to growl, Sam with an eyebrow raised asked, "Are you sure it wasn't your stomach?" Narrowing his eyes, Jake strode confidently to the basket, seeming to overcome his fear of Sam's food long enough to get his strawberries. Meanwhile, Clarisse started to read again.
He said Mr. D had this effect on fruit-bearing plants:
Clarisse broke off when we heard this growling, and this time it didn't sound like a stomach. We all looked toward Jake and the basket, to see that whatever it was that Sam had cooked, wasn't letting Jake get the strawberries. It was like glue sticking to the strawberries, and when Jake tried to pry it off, it started to stick to him. It seemed to grow because it had at first it only covered his fingers, and now it was starting to cover his arm.
Seth tried to help but it wasn't working and in the end, they both started to get covered entirely. We all watched stunned from the sidelines, somebody finally told Clarisse to start reading again, and hurriedly she did.
-they just went crazy when he was around.
"Well, he is the god of madness," Sean said with an air of superiority making Paul frown at him, not happy with what Sean had said.
It worked best with wine grapes, but Mr. D was restricted from growing those, so they grew strawberries instead.
I watched the satyr playing his pipe. His music was causing lines of bugs to leave the strawberry patch in every direction, like refugees fleeing a fire. I wondered if Grover could work that kind of magic with music. I wondered if he was still inside the farmhouse, getting chewed out by Mr. D.
Esme again was awed with Andromeda, if she had the option to pick a daughter she would have wanted a loyal daughter like her.
"Grover won't get into too much trouble, will he?" I asked Chiron. "I mean… he was a good protector. Really."
Chiron sighed. He shed his tweed jacket and draped it over his horse's back like a saddle.
"Grover has big dreams, Mare. Perhaps bigger than are reasonable.
"Boy was he wrong, huh Grover," Andromeda said. Grover blushing nodded.
To reach his goal, he must first demonstrate great courage by succeeding as a keeper, finding a new camper and bringing her safely to Half-Blood Hill."
"But he did that!"
"I might agree with you," Chiron said. "But it is not my place to judge. Dionysus and the Council of Cloven Elders must decide. I'm afraid they might not see this assignment as a success. After all, Grover lost you in New York. Then there's the unfortunate… ah… fate of your mother.
"Hold up, did you notice that?" Edward asked abruptly.
"Yeah I noticed it too," Paul getting over his fit of jealousy for a second. He frowned, thinking pieces falling into place. The pack didn't give him enough credit, he was a smart wolf, at least when it came to his loved ones. "He didn't say death," Paul continued. The others nodded agreeing, Sean and Andy shared a smile knowing what was going to come next. Paul unfortunately, didn't miss their shared smile and his temper flared again.
And the fact that Grover was unconscious when you dragged him over the property line. The council might question whether this shows any courage on Grover's part."
I wanted to protest. None of what happened was Grover's fault. I also felt really, really guilty. If I hadn't given Grover the slip at the bus station, he might not have gotten in trouble.
"He'll get a second chance, won't he?"
Sean and Grover both winced, remembering Grover's first assignment.
Chiron winced. "I'm afraid that was Grover's second chance, Mare. The council was not anxious to give him another, either, after what happened the first time, five years ago. Olympus knows, I advised him to wait longer before trying again. He's still so small for his age…"
Paul saw when Emmett was about to lean in to say something to Jasper, but then he seemed to change his mind, grimacing and instead chose to keep his mouth close. He chuckled at this, and he wondered if Mare was going to keep him out of trouble by punishing him to cut the grass with scissors.
"How old is he?"
"Oh, twenty-eight."
"What! And he's in sixth grade?"
"Satyrs mature half as fast as humans, Mare. Grover has been the equivalent of a middle school student for the past six years."
"Oh my gods, I thought puberty was bad enough, but to stay through puberty for twice that long, that is horrible," Jacob, all of the present there nodded their heads in agreement.
"That's horrible."
"Quite," Chiron agreed. "At any rate, Grover is a late bloomer, even by satyr standards, and not yet very accomplished at woodland magic. Alas, he is anxious to pursue his dream. Perhaps now he will find some other career…"
"That's not fair," I said. "What happened the first time? Was it really so bad?"
Sean along with Grover grimaced, even though Thalia was back to human form. The others didn't miss their grimaces, and were trying to understand what was wrong. Others were closer to the truth than others, mainly Carlisle and Edward who were still having their competitions.
Chiron looked away quickly. "Let's move along, shall we?"
But I wasn't quite ready to let the subject drop. Something had occurred to me when Chiron talked about my mother's fate, as if he were intentionally avoiding the word death. The beginnings of an idea – a tiny, hopeful fire – started forming in my mind.
"Oh no," Esme whispered here was a child that would do anything to get her mother back, it was both good and bad. If this was the way her mother was coming back, she was not liking it.
"Chiron," I said. "If the gods and Olympus and all that are real…"
"Yes, child?"
"Does that mean the Underworld is real too?"
Paul closed his eyes, he hoped with all his might that she wasn't going to do what he thought she was going to do. He reassured himself that it was going to be okay, she was here after all. He knew it was time to get this over with, so with that he closed the short distance between them and put an arm around her. At first she tensed up, but then she relaxed against his arms, and gave him a beautiful smile that made his heart beat faster than it already was.
When Sean saw this he felt a tightening in his chest. Plans began formulating in his mind. He couldn't let her get away. She was his, the break between them was only because of his job. Finally, he got a plan, from what he had learned from the fates, was that an imprint doesn't necessarily mean that it was romantic. It could be friendship or a family, and that was what he was going to rely on.
If he was being honest with himself he knew that what he felt for Andromeda wasn't love, but the feeling of pride that he had acquired the interest of a beautiful and powerful girl. But he ignored that, instead he fixed the flaws in his plans, not knowing that another heart was already waiting for him.
Chiron's expression darkened.
"Yes, child." He paused, as if choosing his words carefully. "There is a place where spirits go after death. But for now… until we know more… I would urge you to put that out of your mind."
"What do you mean, 'until we know more'?"
"Come, Mare. Let's see the woods."
"Well, isn't he good with evading questions," Seth said sarcastically.
As we got closer, I realized how huge the forest was. It took up at least a quarter of the valley, with trees so tall and thick, you could imagine nobody had been in there since the Native Americans.
"hmm, look she was talking about Paul even before she knew him," Jacob snickered.
"You do know that she was talking about you too right?" Paul countered. That got Jake to stop laughing and others to snicker at him.
Chiron said, "The woods are stocked, if you care to try your luck, but go armed."
"Stocked with what?" Paul asked. "Armed with what?" In return Clarisse laughed knowing what book-Mare was about to say, and Mare laughed knowing what she was about to say. The others looked confused.
"Stocked with what?" I asked. "Armed with what?"
And as if on cue the others also started to laugh
"You'll see. Capture the flag is Fridaynight. Do you have your own sword and shield?"
"Didn't she just arrived, and was oblivious to her parentage? How could she have her own sword and shield?" Asked Sean incredulously.
"Maybe, if you let Clarisse read we will find out," Paul retorted, silence reigned the night. Andromeda frowned, she liked that Paul had come around, but that didn't mean that she liked him insulting Sean or be a jerk for that matter. Sean seeing the frown in Andy's face smirked internally, his plan so far was going well. He had already made her realize that Paul could be a jerk.
Even though, Sean had tried to hide his smile, some of it broke through, Paul seeing it frowned too. Looking down at the girl in his arms, and seeing her frown, made him realize what he had done. Leaning down, he sweetly kissed her on her cheek. Andromeda breaking out of her frown, smiled at him and returned the favor, making Paul grin. Sean seeing this, couldn't help but smile at their sweet moment. He realized what he was doing and the smile was replaced by a frown. He realized that they looked happy together, and he couldn't help but feel bad. Here he was supposed to be her best friend but he was planning her breakup. Yet, his pride wouldn't let him let this go.
"My own–?"
"No," Chiron said. "I don't suppose you do. I think a size five will do. I'll visit the armory later."
"See Sean, Chiron did know she wouldn't have her own sword and shield." Paul said but this time he smiled making it seem like he was just teasing him. The others smiled too, Sean smiled too but as soon as Andromeda looked away he stopped.
I wanted to ask what kind of summer camp had an armory, but there was too much else to think about, so the tour continued. We saw the archery range,the canoeing lake, the stables (which Chiron didn't seem to like very much),
I don't like them all that much either, boss, Jackblack said. I snorted, "Sure, you don't Blackjack, and you certainly don't like the new Pegasus that arrived," I said raising one eyebrow. If it was possible I swear I saw Blackjack turn red. The others even if they had only heard one side of the conversation smiled with amusement.
The javelin range, the sing-along amphitheater, and the arena where Chiron said they held sword and spear fights.
"Sword and spear fights?" I asked.
"Cabin challenges and all that," he explained."Not lethal. Usually.
"Usually? You mean you can get hurt during those?" Asked Esme looking frantic.
"Yes, it's part of our training," Sean responded. This seemed to be the wrong thing to say, for she looked even more panicked. "It's what we have to do, for if we didn't train we would die at the hand of monsters. We also would be unprepared for wars."
"Wars?" Jasper asked.
"Yes, wars," Sean replied.
Esme turning to Sean asked, "have you been in a war?" Sean smiling bitterly replied, "yes ma'am I have."
Oh, yes, and there's the mess hall."
Chiron pointed to an outdoor pavilion framed in white Grecian columns on a hill overlooking the sea. There were a dozen stone picnic tables. No roof. No walls.
"What do y'all do when it rains?" Emily asked.
"We'll, we still have to eat don't we," Andromeda answered.
Clarisse and Sean snorted.
Emily confused, and the others for that matter, decided not to question them. They were sure that there was going to be something in the book later on about the subject.
"What do you do when it rains?" I asked.
Like now, it seemed that their question was going to be answered sooner rather than later.
Chiron looked at me as if I'd gone a little weird. "We still have to eat, don't we?"
I decided to drop the subject.
Disappointment flashed through their minds, so they had to wait a little longer to get their question answered.
Finally, he showed me the cabins. There were twelve of them, nestled in the woods by the lake. They were arranged in a U, with two at the base and five in a row on either side. And they were without a doubt the most bizarre collection of buildings I'd ever seen.
"You haven't seen my Aunt Nettie's place," said Sam. The others who apparently been there, nodded their heads, it was then that I remembered that the wolves could probably see Sam's memories. Paul leaning down to whisper in my ear said, "Its' true, his aunt lives in a weird place," I nodded an okay, "by the way you smell like cookies," pause, "I like it." I shook my head amused at his words, smiling I kissed his cheek.
Except for the fact that each had a large brass number above the door (odds on the left side, evens on the right), they looked absolutely nothing alike. Number nine had smokestacks, like a tiny factory. Number four had tomato vines on the walls and a roof made of real grass. Seven seemed to be made of solid gold, which gleamed so much in the sunlight it was almost impossible to look at. They all faced a commons area about the size of a soccer field, dotted with Greek statues, fountains, flower beds, and a couple of basketball hoops (which were more my speed).
'Oh, awesome, you play basketball then?" Seth asked.
"Yeah, but I gotten a little rusty, I haven't have time to play recently." I said glumly, instead of playing I had been training the newbies sword-fighting.
"That's all right, how about we play later, Paul here is the best player among us." Smiling I turned toward him, "Really? Well that's going to change real soon, huh? Pauly?" Rolling his eyes, he turned away from me, leaving the others snickering. "See, Seth he didn't deny it." I said making Paul laugh, "I didn't say anything, or else I might not get some cookies in a while." Paul said looking down at me. I pouted, then said, "yeah you are right." I turned away and looked at Clarisse who was snickering at Paul's stunned expression.
In the center of the field was a huge stone-lined firepit. Even though it was a warm afternoon, the hearth smoldered. A girl about nine years old was tending the flames, poking the coals with a stick.
Regretfully, I hadn't talked to her the first time I met her, instead I had only talked to her when I needed her the most or actually she had been the one that had found me.
The pair of cabins at the head of the field, numbers one and two, looked like his-and-hers mausoleums, big white marble boxes with heavy columns in front. Cabin one was the biggest and bulkiest of the twelve.
Its polished bronze doors shimmered like a hologram, so that from different angles lightning bolts seemed to streak across them. Cabin two was more graceful somehow, with slimmer columns garlanded with pomegranates and flowers. The walls were carved with images of peacocks.
"Zeus and Hera?" Edward asked, and Sean nodded.
"Zeus and Hera?" I guessed.
"Correct," Chiron said.
"Their cabins look empty."
"Several of the cabins are. That's true. No one ever stays in one or two."
Okay. So each cabin had a different god, like a mascot.
Amused, Esme asked, "You just have a different of looking at things don't you?"
"Yeah, she does, but it keeps things interesting," replied Sean, and gave me this look, it was tender I guess but it was making me uncomfortable. I mean, I knew he wasn't stupid he should have realized that the hickey I had was Paul's and knew that I must be in a relationship with the guy. I guess I had to talk to him after this, but not now.
Twelve cabins for the twelve Olympians. But why would some be empty?
"Maybe, because they can't or are suppose to, like your dad," muttered Sean rolling his eyes. Andromeda heard Sean but she didn't give any indication she did. Paul meanwhile said, "Heck, I want to know too," since he wasn't afraid to let Sean know that he had heard him. Sean began to worry he was giving Andy away in the way he was acting. He couldn't help it though, his pride kept getting in his way, and stupid Paul just had to hear him every time he did something stupid.
I stopped in front of the first cabin on the left, cabin three.
It wasn't high and mighty like cabin one, but long and low and solid. The outer walls were of rough gray stone studded with pieces of seashell and coral, as if the slabs had been hewn straight from the bottom of the ocean floor. I peeked inside the open doorway and Chiron said, "Oh, I wouldn't do that!"
"Why?" asked Jared, I frowned thinking about it, "Well, it isn't your cabin and you are not welcomed there."
"Well, unless it's you, huh Andy?" Sean said looking towards me. Still pissed from the comment before I only gave him curt nod in response.
Before he could pull me back, I caught the salty scent of the interior, like the wind on the shore of Montauk. The interior walls glowed like abalone. There were six empty bunk beds with silk sheets turned down. But there was no sign anyone had ever slept there. The place felt so sad and lonely, I was glad when Chiron put his hand on my shoulder and said, "Come along, Mare."
Most of the other cabins were crowded with campers.
"If some were crowded, then why not use the other cabins that were empty?" Paul asked me puzzled. "Well, those are the gods they only want their own kids in there, well except Hermes, who is you know god of travelers." I responded, and the others nodded in understanding. Though, some had frowns on their faces, I couldn't blame them, I would have let anyone stay in anyone cabin.
Number five was bright red – A real nasty paint job, as if the color had been splashed on with buckets and fists. The roof was lined with barbed wire. A stuffed wild boar's head hung over the doorway, and its eyes seemed to follow me. Inside I could see a bunch of mean-looking kids, both girls and boys, arm wrestling and arguing with each other while rock music blared. The loudest was a girl maybe thirteen or fourteen. She wore a size XXXL CAMP HALF-BLOOD T-shirt under a camouflage jacket. She zeroed in on me and gave me an evil sneer. She reminded me of Nancy Bobofit, though the camper girl was much bigger and tougher looking, and her hair was long and stringy, and brown instead of red.
"Wait, is that you?" Sam asked Clarisse.
"Yeah that's me, got a problem with it?" Clarisse retorted. I snickered thinking ahead, I guess her attitude was required to keep her reputation intact later. Sam, scared I guess, shook his head rapidly.
I kept walking, trying to stay clear of Chiron's hooves. "We haven't seen any other centaurs," I observed.
"No," said Chiron sadly. "My kinsmen are a wild and barbaric folk, I'm afraid. You might encounter them in the wilderness, or at major sporting events. But you won't see any here."
"Oh, how I love the party ponies," I said, Sean, Grover, Juniper, and Clarisse nodded. The others unfortunately looked confused, "Book five," Sean explained.
"You said your name was Chiron. Are you really…"
He smiled down at me. "The Chiron from the stories? Trainer of Hercules and all that? Yes, Mare, I am."
"But, shouldn't you be dead?"
Chiron paused, as if the question intrigued him. "I honestly don't know about should be. The truth is, I can't be dead. You see, eons ago the gods granted my wish. I could continue the work I loved. I could be a teacher of heroes as long as humanity needed me. I gained much from that wish… and I gave up much. But I'm still here, so I can only assume I'm still needed."
I thought about being a teacher for three thousand years. It wouldn't have made my Top Ten Things to Wish For List.
"Pshh, I agree with you there, Andy," Sean said surprisingly.
"Really?" said Andromeda, "I would have thought you of all people would have wanted to teach."
"Why? Because I am smart?" Sean questioned.
"Some would call it that," Andromeda responded with a smirk, tired from Sean's attitude. Sean for once didn't seem to get it, Paul got it and muttered, "know it all," under his breath all the while snickering.
"Doesn't it ever get boring?"
"No, no," he said. "Horribly depressing, at times, but never boring."
"Why depressing?"
"Why, because he saw those heroes he trained die, of course." Not surprising it was Sean who said this, who was also ignored by the others, now tired of his attitude.
Chiron seemed to turn hard of hearing again.
"Oh, look," he said. "Sean is waiting for us."
The blond boy I'd met at the Big House was reading a book in front of the last cabin on the left, number eleven.
When we reached him, he looked me over critically, like he was still thinking about how much I drooled.
Seth laughed, "Man, that still cracks me up." Andromeda flushed with embarrassment, Sam seeing this said, "Don't worry, Andy Paul does the same, and let's not even talk about Seth." At hearing this, Andromeda felt a bit better even more so when Seth started blushing with embarrassment.
I tried to see what he was reading, but I couldn't make out the title. I thought my dyslexia was acting up. Then I realized the title wasn't even English. The letters looked Greek to me. I mean, literally Greek. There were pictures of temples and statues and different kinds of columns, like those in an architecture book.
"It was an architecture book," Sean said, flashing her a smile, and acting more like himself. Andromeda noticing the change from about five minutes earlier encouraged him in returning his smile.
Sean was tired, instead of winning her he was doing the opposite. He was in simple terms, giving up, right now all he could do was to continue being her friend, to be there for her. If for some reason the wolf messed up then he was going to be there for her. He was not going to strain their friendship, after all they had broken up in good terms.
"Sean," Chiron said, "I have masters' archery class at noon. Would you take Mare from here?"
"Yes, sir."
"Cabin eleven," Chiron told me, gesturing toward the doorway. "Make yourself at home."
Out of all the cabins, eleven looked the most like a regular old summer camp cabin, with the emphasis on old. The threshold was worn down, the brown paint peeling. Over the doorway was one of those doctor's symbols, a winged pole with two snakes wrapped around it. What did they call it…?
A caduceus.
"The symbol of Hermes," muttered Carlisle. Sean trying to make amends with the others, said, "yes, you know Dr. Cullen, if it's okay with you I would like to get together one day and know more of the existence of vampires."
Carlisle looking toward him said, "Of course, as long as you answer some of my own questions, and you may call me Carlisle." Sean nodded, smiling.
Inside, it was packed with people, both boys and girls, way more than the number of bunk beds. Sleeping bags were spread all over on the floor. It looked like a gym where the Red Cross had set up an evacuation center.
Chiron didn't go in. The door was too low for him. But when the campers saw him they all stood and bowed respectfully.
"Well, then," Chiron said. "Good luck, Mare. I'll see you at dinner."
He galloped away toward the archery range.
I stood in the doorway, looking at the kids. They weren't bowing anymore. They were staring at me, sizing me up. I knew this routine. I'd gone through it at enough schools.
"Ugh, I hate that, you would think after so many schools I would have been used to it by now," Rosalie exclaimed her nose wrinkled.
"Well?" Sean prompted. "Go on."
So naturally I tripped coming in the door and made a total fool of myself. There were some snickers from the campers, but none of them said anything.
"Aww, yeah so you had it worse, we didn't trip, at least." Rosalie said, "well, unless you count that one time with Edwa-" She was cut off sharply by Edward who began making coughing noises. She glared at him and tried to continue but before she could even finish her sentence Edward was once again making loud coughing noises.
Sean announced, "Mare Jackson, meet cabin eleven."
"Regular or undetermined?" somebody asked.
I didn't know what to say, but Sean said, "Undetermined."
Everybody groaned.
"Well, isn't that discouraging," Esme huffed, glad that she didn't have to go through high school.
A girl who was a little older than the rest came forward.
"From the first time I met her, I would have never guessed," Andromeda said sounding pained. Grover along with Sean nodded, if it wasn't for the fact that she set that scorpion on Andromeda they would have never guesses for her to be Kronos' host. She was always so friendly, so charismatic but I guess that was part of her coverup after all during the war she wasn't so friendly.
"Now, now, campers. That's what we're here for. Welcome, Mare. You can have that spot on the floor, right over there."
"That's ridiculous, why should all those boys and girls be cramped into that old cabin when they have those other cabins, that I am sure are in better conditions?!" exclaimed Esme, her usually kind face was bright with passion about the injustice of housing. Carlisle was trying to calm her down, trying for her to see that the gods were preoccupied elsewhere, obviously this was the wrong thing to say since once again she exclaimed. "Preoccupied elsewhere? Carlisle I am sure, that the gods can do different things at once. They could at least make that particular cabin and fix it up! If I can do that under a day I am sure they can too!"
Nobody else tried to subdue her, after Carlisle's poor attempt everyone else was scared, afraid they were going to ignite her anger farther.
The girl was about nineteen, and she looked pretty cool. She was a bit on the tall side , with blonde sandy hair and a friendly smile.
She wore an orange tank top, cutoffs, sandals, and a leather necklace with five different-colored clay beads. The only thing unsettling about her appearance was a thick white scar that ran from just beneath her right eye to her jaw, like an old knife slash.
"This is Lucy," Sean said, and his voice sounded different somehow. I glanced over and could've sworn he was blushing.
Seth sensing it was okay to make fun of Sean said, " Aww, does Seanie have a crush?" wiggling his eyebrows. Sean meanwhile flushed knowing that the next few chapters if he remembered correctly were going to be embarrassing.
He saw me looking, and his expression hardened again. "She's your counselor for now."
"For now?" I asked.
"You're undetermined," Lucy explained patiently. "They don't know what cabin to put you in, so you're here. Cabin eleven takes all newcomers, all visitors. Naturally, we would. Hermes, our patron, is the god of travelers."
I looked at the tiny section of floor they'd given me. I had nothing to put there as my own, no luggage, no clothes, no sleeping bag. Just the Minotaur's horn. I thought about setting that down, but then I remembered that Hermes was also the god of thieves.
"Good thinking," Grover said, "If you had I am sure that horn would have been on the market." Juniper nodded, knowing the Stolls it was surely possible.
I looked around at the campers' faces, some sullen and suspicious, some grinning stupidly, some eyeing me as if they were waiting for a chance to pick my pockets.
"and those are the true Hermes' kids." Sean said, the others made noises of agreement, even though they haven't been there, it was obviously true.
"How long will I be here?" I asked.
"Good question," Lucy said. "Until you're determined."
"How long will that take?"
The campers all laughed.
"Why do campers have to be so mean?" Esme asked not happy at all with the camp. Sure, they trained them to be great heroes but how many were bullied at camp?
"Come on," Sean told me. "I'll show you the volleyball court."
"I've already seen it."
"Come on."
He grabbed my wrist and dragged me outside. I could hear the kids of cabin eleven laughing behind me.
"Again why?" Esme asked.
When we were a few feet away, Sean said, "Jackson, you have to do better than that."
"What?"
He rolled his eyes and mumbled under his breath, "I can't believe I thought you were the one."
"I don't either, she is obviously Paul's," Jacob said, "ain't that right Andy?" Andromeda laughed and nodded, Sean was also laughing, which surprised Paul he would have thought that Sean would be glowering. He guessed he really had changed in the past twenty minutes.
"What's your problem?" I was getting angry now. "All I know is, I kill some bull guy-"
"Don't talk like that!" Sean told me. "You know how many kids at this camp wish they'd had your chance?"
"To get killed?"
"To fight the Minotaur! What do you think we train for?"
I shook my head. "Look, if the thing I fought really was the Minotaur, the same one in the stories…"
"Yes."
"Then there's only one."
"Yes."
"And he died, like, gajillion
"Gajillion? That's not even a number," Jasper said. As soon as his words were out of his mouth, Alice started shaking his head, I wasn't sure why until, Jared started speaking, "I am sure it is a number, you know what I am going to start counting, and prove you wrong." Everybody was trying hard not to laugh, but it was difficult. "one, two, three,-" by five Clarisse had started to read again. I could hear Alice berating Jasper for making such a statement, apparently it was going to last a while.
years ago, right? Theseus killed him in the labyrinth. So..."
"Monsters don't die Mare. They can be killed. But they don't die."
A chorus of huhs rose at this, "Don't worry he clears it up," Andromeda said to appease them.
"Oh, thanks. That clears it up."
"They don't have souls, like you and me. You can dispel them for a while, maybe even for a whole lifetime if you're lucky. But they are primal forces. Chiron calls them arche-types. Eventually, they re-form."
"Oh, that is so much clearer, why didn't you say that earlier?" Seth said making Sean face-palm.
I thought about Mrs. Dodds. "You mean if I killed one, accidentally, with a sword-"
"The Fur… I mean, your math teacher. That's right. She's still out there. You just made her very, very mad."
"How did you know about Mrs. Dodds?"
"You talk in your sleep."
"Hmm, I wonder if she has said anything about you, Paul," Seth said wiggling his eyebrows, Andromeda embarrassed threw her coke can at him, he of course dodged. But he didn't couldn't dodge the liquid that came out, and soaked his hair. "Ugh, Andy! Why?!" he exclaimed jumping up an shaking his hair at Jared, who was still counting and Sam. "You deserved it!" Andromeda shouted back. Paul trying to calm her down, before the young wolf became fully soak, took her arm and said, "you know I am rather curious too," smirking then added, "because I know I have dreamed about you." This of course made her blush and thought back to her past night's dreams, of course Paul had been there. In one of them, they were in Paris in another they were on blackjack riding through the night. Feeling the air in their hair, and feeling his arms around her, then his soft lips...
Suddenly, she was broken out her thoughts, by a throat being cleared, the first thing she noticed was Paul's smirk followed by the others. Apparently they had called her name before and she had not responded, she blushed, embarrassed. But felt better when she felt Paul's lips on her own, and unfortunately broke out of it when she heard, "PDA!" followed by a scuffle and a get back to counting.
"You almost called her something. A Fury? They're Hades' torturers, right?"
Sean glanced nervously at the ground, as if he expected it to open up and swallow him.
At this the ones not from the demigod world looked around nervously, just to add to the dramatic effect, thunder had to boomed at that moment. Making a lot give out girlish yelps, Andromeda laughed amused by it all, specially since the one who had given out the girlish yelp had been Seth, and Jacob. Andromeda was sure that Sam would have yelped too, had it not been for Emily who was currently having her hand crushed by him. Sam did yell out, when Emily smacked his shoulders trying to get him to let go.
"You shouldn't call them by name, even here. We call them the Kindly Ones, if we have to speak of them at all."
"Look, is there anything we can say without it thundering?" I sounded whiny, even to myself, but right then I didn't care. "Why do I have to stay in cabin eleven anyway? Why is everybody so crowded together? There are plenty of empty bunks right over there."
"Exactly my point," Esme said. Carlisle trying to appease her yet again, having not learned his lesson said, " Honey, I am sure that by now, all of the kids have been claimed and that now they have better living conditions," Esme, seeming to calm, didn't say anything. Carlisle, mistaking her silence as agreeing with him, didn't imagine that Esme was planning to meet with the gods and making the day that went to Olympus an interesting one. After all she wasn't a mortal,and was therefor allowed to be there.
I pointed to the first few cabins, and Sean turned pale. "You don't just choose a cabin, Mare. It depends on who your parents are. Or… your parent."
He stared at me, waiting for me to get it.
"My mom is Sally Jackson," I said. "She works at the candy store in Grand Central Station. At least, she used to."
"I'm sorry about your mom, Mare. But that's not what I mean. I'm talking about your other parent. Your dad."
"He's dead. I never knew him."
Sean sighed. Clearly, he'd had this conversation before with other kids.
"Your father's not dead, Mare."
"What?! He isn't dead, I so did not see that coming," Quil said breaking the silence, Jared nodded again, but didn't stop counting, Quil amused tried to mess him up by saying random numbers. Quil did mess him up, but all Jared did was to start over, so he started a zero again going back 5,578 numbers. Quil already was planning when to mess him up again, all he had in mind was how much he was going to laugh tonight.
"How can you say that? You know him?"
"No, of course not."
"Then how can you say-"
"Well, it's pretty easy Andy, you basically just move your mouth to form the words and your vocal cords do the rest," Seth said. "Why thank you Katherine obvious," Andromeda puffed out.
The others stared blankly at her, "Katherine obvious?" Edward asked. Pulling her hair out of her eyes, Andromeda stated, "Yes, Edward, I guess you didn't have this expression back then, but I think it is being fairly used now." All of the people around the fire started laughing, "Dude, it's captain obvious, captain not Katherine," Emmett guffawed. "What? I been saying it wrong my whole life?" Andromeda said sounding surprised. They all nodded and then she swiveled her head in Sean's direction, "Wait, I said that in front of you before why didn't you say anything?" Sean stopped and started to blush, he mumbled something indistinct to human ears, but the Cullens and the wolves could hear him perfectly. There was silence and then suddenly there was aww from the girls and laughing from the guys.
Andromeda turned to Paul and asked, "What did he say?" Paul kept snickering but he was also troubled, "he said he thought it was cute." Andromeda flushed, thinking if Sean was still hung up over her, he had seemed to be fine for the last 30 minutes.
"Because I know you. You wouldn't be here if you weren't one of us."
"You don't know anything about me."
"No?" He raised an eyebrow. "I bet you moved around from school to school. I bet you were kicked out of a lot of them."
"That's how you get girls to like you," Quil snorted, rolling his eyes. He glanced toward Jared and heard he was already in number 35679, snickering Quil started at number 35678 and add three each time. Jared covered his ears to block out Quil because, Quil came to his side and started to count right next to his ears. In the end, Quil won, and Jared started from zero again.
"How-"
"Diagnosed with dyslexia. Probably ADHD, too."
I tried to swallow my embarrassment.
'You don't need to be embarrassed Andy," Jacob said with soft eyes, all an act of course, "I mean Paul has an overly large head but he isn't embarrassed right Paul?" Paul nodded, "He is right, you don't need to be embarras- wait, hey! I don't have an overly large head!" Paul exclaimed throwing grapes at Jacob, who caught them all in his mouth. When Jacob ate the last one, Paul smirked saying, "Good thing you don't where they been," Jacob's eyes widen comically, thinking of all the places they could have been.
"What does that have to do with anything?"
"Taken together, it's almost a sure sign. The letters float off the page when you read, right? That's because your mind is hardwired for ancient Greek. And the ADHD – you're impulsive, can't sit still in the classroom. That's your battlefield reflexes. In a real fight, they'd keep you alive. As for the attention problems, that's because you see too much, Mare, not too little. Your senses are better than a regular mortal's. Of course the teachers want you medicated. Most of them are monsters.
"Pshh, true that," Embry mumbled, all heads swiveled toward him. Jacob surprised said, "for how long have you been here?" Embry frowned, "since like the beginning." Jacob mumbled an oh and turned back around as did the others.
They don't want you seeing them for what they are."
"You sound like… you went through the same thing?"
"Most of the kids here did. If you weren't like us, you couldn't have survived the Minotaur, much less the ambrosia and nectar."
"Ambrosia and nectar."
"The food and drink we were giving you to make you better. That stuff would've killed a normal kid. It would've turned your blood to fire and your bones to sand and you'd be dead.
"What if you had been a full human, they would have killed you!" Esme exclaimed, this was added to the list about what she was going to talk about to the gods. Juniper trying to appease Esme, since Carlisle couldn't do it said, "They wouldn't have given her the nectar if they had not known she was a half-blood, we don't take risks with humans." Esme appeased for once, nodded. Carlisle looking surprised gave Juniper a thankful glance. Yes, his wife was calm but when she saw or heard something that might endanger others, well there was no one to stop her.
Face it. You're a half-blood."
A half-blood.
I was reeling with so many questions I didn't know where to start.
Then a husky voice yelled, "Well! A newbie!"
Clarisse was fearing this, she had seen how mama Cullen reacted to other stuff, she was scared about what Esme was going to say after this. But of course as a daughter of Ares she didn't show that fear.
I looked over. The big girl from the ugly red cabin was sauntering toward us. She had three other girls behind her, all big and ugly and mean looking like her, all wearing camo jackets.
"Clarisse," Sean sighed. "Why don't you go polish your spear or something?"
"Sure," the big girl said. "So I can run you through with it Fridaynight."
"Oh, she got you there, Sean," chortled Emmett. Grey eyes dancing with amusement, Sean smirked and nodded, thinking about what was about to come.
"Erre es korakas!" Sean said,
"Oooo, Sean said a bad word," Quil said, Sean turning to him said, "you speak Greek?"
"Nah, but after what she said to you, I don't think you would be telling you loved her camo jacket, which I totally love by the way Clarisse," Quil responded to Sean the last part directed to Clarisse. Sean thinking Quil had a point, nodded in understanding.
which I somehow understood was Greek for 'Go to the crows!' though I had a feeling it was a worse curse than it sounded. "You don't stand a chance."
"We'll pulverize you," Clarisse said, but her eye twitched. Perhaps she wasn't sure she could follow through on the threat. She turned toward me. "Who's this little runt?"
"Mare Jackson," Sean said, "meet Clarisse, Daughter of Ares."
I blinked. "Like… the war god?"
Clarisse sneered. "You got a problem with that?"
"No," I said, recovering my wits. "It explains the bad smell."
There was a lot of oohing on that one, Clarisse though was worried about Esme, but she did not say anything. So Clarisse continued reading.
Clarisse growled. "We got an initiation ceremony for newbies, Moor."
"Mare."
"Whatever. Come on, I'll show you."
"Clarisse-" Sean tried to say.
"Stay out of it, wise guy."
Sean looked pained, but he did stay out of it, and I didn't really want his help. I was the new kid. I had to earn my own rep.
"Spoken like a true thug," Embry said. Confused, Andromeda questioned him, "thug?"
"Yeah thug," Embry clarified, nodding, shrugging she turned around.
I handed Sean my minotaur horn and got ready to fight, but before I knew it, Clarisse had me by the neck and was dragging me toward a cinder-block building that I knew immediately was the bathroom.
"Oh no, please tell me she is not going to do what I think she is going to do," Paul said sounding horrified, and turning to the girl next to him. Andromeda gave a small nod, then whispered to him so as not to ruin it for the others, "yeah, but don't worry I get out of it."
I was kicking and punching. I'd been in plenty of fights before, but this big girl Clarisse had hands like iron. She dragged me into the girls' bathroom. There was a line of toilets on one side and a line of shower stalls down the other. It smelled just like any public bathroom, and I was thinking – as much as I could think with Clarisse ripping my hair out – that if this place belonged to the gods, they should've been able to afford classier johns.
Esme for once in these kinds of situations stayed quiet, just wanting for it to be over.
Clarisse's friends were all laughing, and I was trying to find the strength I'd used to fight the Minotaur, but it just wasn't there.
"Like she's 'Big Three' material," Clarisse said as she pushed me toward one of the toilets. "Yeah, right. Minotaur probably fell over laughing, she was so stupid looking."
"That's so mean," Embry exclaimed, making sure the others knew he was there, "but it's so funny, too."
Her friends snickered.
"Try sisters Jackson," Clarisse sighed, Andromeda chagrined, shrugged.
Sean stood in the corner, watching through his fingers.
"Coward," Edward sang, eyes swiveled toward him, but all he did was to act like he had not said that.
Clarisse bent me over on my knees and started pushing my head toward the toilet bowl. It reeked like rusted pipes and, well, like what goes into toilets. I strained to keep my head up. I was looking at the scummy water, thinking, I will not go into that. I won't.
Then something happened. I felt a tug in the pit of my stomach. I heard the plumbing rumble, the pipes shudder. Clarisse's grip on my hair loosened. Water shot out of the toilet, making an arc straight over my head, and the next thing I knew, I was sprawled on the bathroom tiles with Clarisse screaming behind me.
I turned just as water blasted out of the toilet again, hitting Clarisse straight in the face so hard it pushed her down onto her butt. The water stayed on her like the spray from a fire hose, pushing her backward into a shower stall.
She struggled, gasping, and her friends started coming toward her. But then the other toilets exploded, too, and six more streams of toilet water blasted them back. The showers acted up, too, and together all the fixtures sprayed the camouflage girls right out of the bathroom, spinning them around like pieces of garbage being washed away.
"Oh my gods, I am sorry to say this Clarisse but you deserved it, and it was also funny," Sam said, making Clarisse mumble something incoherent.
As soon as they were out the door, I felt the tug in my gut lessen, and the water shut off as quickly as it had started.
The entire bathroom was flooded. Sean hadn't been spared. He was dripping wet, but he hadn't been pushed out the door. He was standing in exactly the same place, staring at me in shock.
I looked down and realized I was sitting in the only dry spot in the whole room. There was a circle of dry floor around me. I didn't have one drop of water on my clothes. Nothing.
"Girl, I feel like I should have your autograph or something," Jared said, after finally giving up on his counting. Andromeda just smiled and took out Riptide, "I can sign your forehead if you want," she said.
I stood up, my legs shaky.
Sean said, "How did you…"
"I don't know."
We walked to the door. Outside, Clarisse and her friends were sprawled in the mud, and a bunch of other campers had gathered around to gawk. Clarisse's hair was flattened across her face. Her camouflage jacket was sopping and she smelled like sewage. She gave me a look of absolute hatred. "You are dead, new girl. You are totally dead."
I probably should have let it go, but I said, "You want to gargle with toilet water again, Clarisse? Close your mouth."
Her friends had to hold her back.
"Again, they were my sisters, Jackson," Clarisse stated, "Sorry, " was all Andromeda said.
They dragged her toward cabin five, while the other campers made way to avoid her flailing feet.
Sean stared at me. I couldn't tell whether he was just grossed out or angry at me for dousing him.
"What?" I demanded. "What are you thinking?"
"I'm thinking," he said, "that I want you on my team for capture the flag."
"Oh, of course, you want her to be on your team all part of Athena always has a plan, right?" said a familiar voice from behind them. Sean turning around, smiled seeing the death to barbie shirt. "Thalia! It's so good to see you!" Sean said walking in her direction, it was at that moment when the person from behind Thalia stepped out and was going to start walking to the circle. That was the moment, brown eyes met gray eyes, and a bond was formed.
I am soooo sorry I was away for so long, but hopefully there will be another update soon. Thanks for those that will still read this story, well at least I hope some people still do. So please I need feedback to see if people are still interested in this story. Now to quote a favorite fanfiction author, I want to hear what you thought, the good, the bad, and the ugly.